Gates have been used throughout history to bar the passage of hostile persons from secure enclosures. It is well-known in the art that by making a gate and its mountings heavier, the gate can be made to withstand impacts of higher energy levels. However, a heavy gate takes longer to open than a light gate unless powerful opening or swinging means are utilized. A heavy gate moving at high speed under the impetus of a powerful swinging means can provide a hazard to persons or vehicles which may be struck or pinned by an opening or closing gate.
It is the object of the present invention to bar an opening with a gate which is as light as possible yet which will effectively resist an impact by a large vehicle such as a heavy truck travelling at high speed. Specifically it is an object to stop a seven-ton truck travelling at about 50 miles-per-hour. It is another object of the present invention to absorb such an impact while suffering damage only to inexpensive and easily replaceable components of the gate. A further object of the invention is to provide a barrier to unauthorized persons as well as vehicles. It is a further object in the present invention to provide a gate which has an attractive and impressive appearance.